Machine of the Month: The Multiwire Gold 60

The Multiwire Gold 60 diamond wire saw from Bideseimpianti of Italy has been designed to cut slabs of granite and other stones with high output levels. Its unique engineering is the result of the company's many years of experience in building various diamond wire machines, as well as its research and development in tooling.

The machine has a relatively small size, and it reaches high production totals, as it can simultaneous cut 58 slabs in a 2-cm thickness or 44 slabs in a 3-cm thickness. Working three shifts per day, the machine can process 24,000 square meters of slabs in a month. Moreover, the unit requires little work force during the processing phases, using only one operator, and it needs very little maintenance, the company reports. Other important advantages are the precision of the cut (to a tolerance of 0.5 mm) and the smooth finish of the slabs, which decreases polishing time.

The saw has a cutting area of approximately 13 x 7 feet, and a 250-kW motor is used to drive the wires at a variable speed of 32 to 131 feet per second. When processing 2-cm granite, the unit is equipped with a total of 58 diamond wires. The unit has been installed at major slab producers, including Antolini Luigi & C. in Italy and Polycor in Canada.

In this month's issue of Stone World, check out an article on how government agencies are teaming with stone industry professionals to provide safe work environments. Also check out some features on quartz surfacing.